MANILA – The criminal case for grave threats filed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) against Vice President Sara Duterte before the Quezon City Regional Trial Court reinforces the allegation that threats were made against President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and other officials, a House prosecutor said.

Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores said the DOJ’s filing bolsters the prosecution’s position in Article IV of Duterte’s impeachment case, which centers on her November 2024 remarks that she had contracted someone to kill Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and then-House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez if she herself were killed.

“Siguro it bolstered the fact na totoong may threats that were made, di ba? Kasi nga si DOJ na nag-file ng grave threats,” Flores said during a press briefing.

Flores, however, stressed that the DOJ case will not affect how the House prosecution presents its impeachment case.

“But as far as we are concerned, focusing on the impeachment case lang, walang impact sa amin,” he said.

Separate proceedings

House impeachment trial spokesperson and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said the criminal case and impeachment proceedings are separate and serve different purposes.

“This impeachment is a constitutional case that’s being deliberated. And the other one could be a regular criminal proceedings,” Adiong said.

He explained that a conviction in the impeachment court could result in Duterte’s removal from office, while any criminal liability and corresponding penalties would be determined independently by the regular courts.

Flores likewise pointed out that the two proceedings apply different standards in evaluating evidence.

“Even the weight of evidence that will be needed is different in criminal cases, iba din dito sa impeachment court,” he said.

The DOJ’s grave threats case stemmed from Duterte’s remarks in November 2024 in which she said she had arranged for Marcos, his wife and Romualdez to be killed if she were killed herself.

The same statements form part of Article IV of the impeachment complaint against Duterte.

The House prosecution has already presented National Bureau of Investigation witnesses under Article IV to authenticate recordings of Duterte’s remarks and testify about the government’s investigation into the alleged threats.